A small Blue Mountains congregation has opted to join the Diocese of Bathurst rather than face the permanent closure of their church.
Parishioners at St Luke's, Medlow Bath and St Thomas', Hampton have been resisting the closure of their two branch churches in the Sydney parish of Blackheath since last year.
Plans included the combining of their services at nearby St John the Evangelist, Hartley.
A compromise has been reached that will allow the Hampton congregation to join the parish of Oberon in the adjoining Bathurst diocese.
The Rector of Oberon, the Rev Glenn Stewart, will have oversight of the congregation at St Thomas' and will provide Sunday services twice a month.
St Luke's, Medlow Bath and St Thomas', Hampton are two of six far-flung branch churches in the parish of Blackheath.
St Thomas' remains the property of the parish of Blackheath and the congregation will continue to submit financial returns to Sydney Diocese.
The building has been closed for the last six months but is expected to reopen under the compromise plan.
St Luke's, Medlow Bath will remain closed.
Rector of Blackheath parish the Rev Ian Mears does not have an assistant minister and says providing adequate ministry at the six churches is unfeasible.
Mr Mears says while he accepts the decision, keeping the poorly resourced building open is not the best way to provide a Christian witness to the township and the better option was to combine the two branch churches into a weekly service at Hartley.
"I believe people fully committed to Christ and who understand the gospel is the best way," he says.
"I don't think" trying to keep a building open is the best solution although I appreciate the generosity of [Mr Stewart] being willing to do so.
"In a large parish extending from Hampton in the south west to Mount Wilson in the northeast, including six small congregations, the best way to help people grow in their commitment to Christ and understand their faith is not necessarily through multiple centres, with poor resources and similar services."
Mr Mears says the congregation was meeting monthly and consisted of less than seven regular parishioners and another seven people who would attend occasionally.
He says the style of ministry at the parish of Oberon is "more focused on ritual' whereas Blackheath parish focuses on Bible teaching and evangelism.
"The people of Hampton are satisfied with this so I hope they will continue to grow in their commitment to Christ."
A former parishioner at St Luke's, Medlow Bath, Claire Isbister, says the decision to close the church is "appalling' because the parishioners' ancestors built the church and "cut the rocks to build it with'.
Bishop of Bathurst Richard Hurford says the arrangement is one way his diocese was able to give something back in response to the help that his rural parishes have received from the Archbishop of Sydney's drought appeals.
"Given the enormous amount of prayer and financial support over the past two years, this is one small way in which Sydney's country cousins are able to respond to the generosity," Bishop Hurford says.
"We're delighted to respond to an express need from our brothers and sisters" to be partners in mission."
The agreement will be reviewed in two years.
